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Survey reveals the biggest issues facing drivers on the UK’s roads

Drivers highlighted potholes as a main concern, while they also gave their opinions on the topic of autonomous vehicles.

The results were published by IAM RoadSmart

The results were published by IAM RoadSmart

A new survey has highlighted the biggest issues facing drivers on UK roads.

The results were revealed after the UK’s leading independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, released its annual Driving Safety Culture report.

The report, which explores the opinions, attitudes, and behaviours of motorists over time, has highlighted their biggest fears and worries, with potholes being the biggest problem compared to three years ago.

Of those surveyed, 90 per cent of drivers are reported to have been affected by potholes over the past year, while 32 per cent have changed their route to avoid them and 16 per cent have reported a pothole to the authorities.

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There was a total of eight issues that at least 80 per cent found to be a threat to their personal safety. The most common perceived threats among motorists were drivers text messaging or emailing (92 per cent), checking or updating social media (91 per cent), driving after drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs (90 per cent), and drivers speeding on residential streets (88 per cent).

However, there was more disagreement on the topic of autonomous vehicles, with almost six in ten (59 per cent) of drivers worried about risks associated with driverless technology.

Meanwhile, of the eighteen behaviours tested, talking on a hands-free mobile and driving ten miles per hour over the speed limit are the only types of behaviour that over half of motorists believe to be acceptable.

Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research at IAM RoadSmart, says the report highlights the opinions of drivers across the UK for those in central and local government.

He said: 'The topics of mobility and road safety are constantly evolving, and our Driving Safety Culture report puts the spotlight on the biggest issues that British motorists face when taking to the roads.

'Armed with this information, we can now tailor our lobbying and campaigning efforts, and represent the views of drivers to those who make the laws and hold the purse strings. What is clear is that there is a long way to go to convince British drivers that efforts to deal with the backlog of potholes is having any impact at all.'

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